Brandi Doming is all about maximizing results. The Vegan 8 blogger and newly minted author of The Vegan 8 cookbook creates recipes that are, well, vegan and made with eight ingredients or less. While it's simple in terms of ingredients, this vegan Broccoli-Cheddar Soup doesn't skimp on flavor—it's rich and creamy, packed with umami notes that sink into the broccoli florets. In others words, it's the perfect weeknight comfort dinner.

Once the cooked potatoes are tender, immediately remove the pan from the heat. Add the potato mixture, including the water, to the blender. Blend until completely smooth. Be careful not to overblend, or the starch in the potatoes will release too much and make the texture too glue-like. You only need to blend until just combined. Taste and add more salt or spices, if desired.

Pour in bowls and top with the roasted broccoli. Garnish with cubed bread and fresh green onions, if desired.

Note: If you do not have a high-powered blender like a Vitamix, you'll need to soak your cashews for 8 hours or preferably overnight in a bowl of warm water to soften, and then drain, rinse, and proceed with the recipe. Otherwise, the soup will be gritty. If using soaked cashews, a food processor works better than a regular, non-high-powered blender. Alternatively, you can sub with raw cashew butter (see page 247 for how to make this) for the same amount, 114 g, which is about 7 tablespoons. If using store-bought, make sure to use a raw cashew butter with no added oil.